How Antigua Became a Safe Harbor for the Wanted Wealthy

The small island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, renowned for its pristine beaches and offshore banking industry, has quietly developed a more controversial reputation: a haven for wealthy fugitives and sanctioned individuals. Through its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) and politically influenced diplomatic appointments, the island has offered refuge to numerous individuals under criminal scrutiny.

Among the most high-profile cases is Mehul Choksi, the Indian businessman wanted for orchestrating the $1.8 billion Punjab National Bank fraud. Choksi secured Antiguan citizenship just before the scandal broke. After years of evading extradition, he was finally arrested in Belgium in April 2025.

He is not alone.

Alex Saab, arrested for laundering billions on behalf of the Venezuelan regime, held both an Antiguan passport and a diplomatic title. Xiao Jianhua, a Chinese billionaire later captured by Chinese authorities, was appointed ambassador-at-large by Prime Minister Gaston Browne. These appointments, often granted shortly before legal downfall, lent a veneer of legitimacy to individuals under criminal investigation.

Then there’s David “Alki” Alkiviades, a Greek-Cypriot self-styled entertainment mogul. Convicted in a U.S. court in 2024, Alkiviades was ordered to pay $900 million in damages for sexual assault—one of the largest personal injury judgments in American legal history. He has also faced charges from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission related to investor fraud and was previously arrested in the Caribbean for illegally importing cannabis.

Despite this extensive record, Alkiviades now operates freely in Antigua under the SwissX brand, promoting speculative ventures involving carbon credits, cryptocurrency, coral reef restoration, and even DNA cloning labs. According to SwissX’s official websites, Prime Minister Browne is listed as a partner in these controversial projects.

Meanwhile, Yida Zhang, a Chinese national who gained Antiguan citizenship, has been tied to opaque and stalled development projects that have triggered concerns about financial mismanagement and political favoritism. Similarly, Allen Onyeama, a Nigerian businessman indicted in the U.S. for bank fraud and money laundering, has retained ties to Antigua and continues to be publicly associated with Prime Minister Browne’s administration, even after the charges surfaced.

Across these cases, a consistent pattern emerges: Antigua is offering not just passports, but political protection. Under Prime Minister Browne’s leadership, the country has become a jurisdiction of convenience for the globally wanted and wealthy.